appearances during the season. Cole scored 14 times during the 2008–09 season under manager Graham Westley, including the first competitive hat-trick of his career in a 4–2 victory away at Salisbury City. He signed a two-year contract extension at Stevenage on 22 April 2009. During the 2009–10 season, Cole scored his first goal of the season in a 2–0 victory over Kidderminster Harriers on 5 December 2009. He played two games at left-back as opposed to his usual left wing position in January 2010. He scored his second professional hat-trick for Stevenage the following month, in a 6–0 win away at Eastbourne Borough on 2 March 2010, coming on as a substitute in the 71st-minute and scoring his three goals in seven minutes. Cole played 42 games during the season, scoring four goals, as Stevenage earned promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history. During his three-and-a-half-years with the club, Cole made 146 appearances in all competitions, scoring 23 times. Oxford United Cole joined newly promoted League Two club Oxford United on a two-year contract on 14 June 2010. He made his Oxford debut in the club's 2–1 home defeat against Bury on 14 August 2010, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute. Cole started his first game for Oxford ten days later, playing 45 minutes in the club's 1–0 League Cup defeat to former club West Ham United. Cole played six matches for Oxford in all competitions, with his last appearance coming in a 3–2 defeat to Macclesfield Town on 16 October 2010. Retirement In February 2011, Cole's career as a professional football ended prematurely when he was forced to retire due to a serious heart condition. During his time at West Ham, at the age of 17, Cole discovered he had a heart condition, but continued to play as his condition gradually improved. In November 2010, Cole began to suffer from shortness of breath during training and matches, and was subsequently advised by a leading cardiologist to stop playing competitive football to avoid the risk of a serious heart episode. On retiring, Cole said "It's like being hit by a ton of bricks because football is all I've ever known. I've managed to get eight years out of the professional game which I am extremely happy with". Return to semi-professional football Ahead of the 2011–12 season, Cole played in a number of pre-season friendlies